Clinical exposureWVU Spine Center surgeons perform over 1,100 spine cases a year covering degenerative, traumatic, deformity and neoplastic conditions (mainly adult, with some paediatric), using open and minimally invasive techniques. Rotations are blocks with each orthopaedic spine surgeon plus a neurosurgical block and elective time; typically 3–4 OR days, one clinic day and ½–1 day research per week, all surgery at Ruby Memorial Hospital. NASS lists 80% operative / 20% non-operative; degenerative 50%, deformity 20%, trauma 15%, tumour 10%, paediatric 5%.
Funding · not publishedNot published.
DestinationUnited States
Participation levelClinical participation and hands-on restrictions must be confirmed directly with the host.
INTERNATIONAL APPLICANT CHECK
What the official evidence currently supports
Decision-critical fields are separated into confirmed facts, partial information and points requiring direct confirmation.
≈Partially published
International applicant eligibility
Due to accreditation requirements, the fellowship is not accepting applications from international medical graduates (IMGs).
✓Published by official source
Required training level
International medical graduates are not accepted (due to accreditation requirements)
✓Published by official source
Programme classification
Clinical or combined training pathway; exact duties remain appointment-specific.
?Confirm directly with host
Hands-on restrictions
Hands-on participation and operative restrictions are not explicitly published.
—Not published
Medical registration
Registration requirements are not published by the cited source.
?Confirm directly with host
Licensing examinations
No licensing-examination information is published.
—Not published
Language requirements
No formal language requirement is published by the cited source.
≈Partially published
Visa or work authorisation
Not published (IMGs not accepted).
—Not published
Funding availability
Not published.
DATA QUALITY & AVAILABILITY
69% of core application fields verified
Checked 3 Oct 2026. Next scheduled editorial review: 2027-04-01. Every unresolved field keeps its exact evidence state—unpublished, not yet researched, historical, conflicting, inaccessible or not applicable—so an absence is never converted into a fact.
✓ programme title✓ institution / department✓ city and country✓ programme classification✓ subspecialty✓ current status evidence✓ duration✓ positions✓ benefits✓ eligibility✓ international eligibility✓ application process✓ application portal✓ official contact✓ verified faculty photograph✓ verified institution logo✓ official source✓ institutional source✓ accreditation / organisation source✓ verification date— commencement / intake · not published by the cited official source— Funding information not published · not published by the cited official source— accommodation / relocation · queued for source review— Language requirement not published · queued for source review— Registration information not published · not published by the cited official source— visa / work authorisation · not published by the cited official source— Current deadline not yet published · not published by the cited official source— required documents · not published by the cited official source— Faculty information requires reverification · official sources conflict
APPLICATION TIMELINE & CONTACT
Plan the application
Application deadlineNo current deadline published in the cited evidence
Commencing dateIntake date not published
Application route / cycleParticipates in the San Francisco Match.
Deadlines and intake dates can change between cycles. The data-quality ledger above explicitly labels application fields that the cited official source does not publish.
ELIGIBILITY & REQUIREMENTS
Published entry requirements
Clinical / academic eligibility
International medical graduates are not accepted (due to accreditation requirements)
Registration, licence & examinations
AHPRA, USMLE/COMLEX, ECFMG, medical-board or local-licence requirements are not stated by the cited source.
Visa / work authorisation
Not published (IMGs not accepted).
Application documents
CV, personal statement, recommendation-letter, transcript and identity-document requirements are not published by the cited official source.
Licensing, visa and document rules depend on the individual programme and application cycle. OrthoFellow does not infer USMLE, AHPRA, ECFMG, recommendation-letter or visa requirements from the country alone.
PROGRAM OVERVIEW
What this program offers
One-position, one-year orthopaedic spine fellowship with one-on-one faculty mentorship, over 1,100 institutional spine cases a year and an expected publishable research project; AOSpine North America Fellowship Site.
BENEFITS & SUPPORT
Published benefits and support
Programme pays for a practical anatomy course (usually PASE-CSRS cervical anatomy course) and one national meeting (NASS, CSRS or SRS); as an AOSpine North America Fellowship Site the fellow attends the AOSpine Advanced Concepts Spine Course and the AOSpine Fellows Forum; free parking; cafeteria card with meal money; funding to present original research at the Program Director's discretion.
Benefits may depend on appointment type, training level, visa status and the active academic year. OrthoFellow keeps stipend and benefits separate so a salary figure is not mistaken for the full package.
HOST INSTITUTION
About West Virginia University School of Medicine, Department of Orthopaedics (WVU Medicine)
WVU School of Medicine's Department of Orthopaedics in Morgantown runs the WVU Spine Center jointly with Neurosurgery at Ruby Memorial Hospital.
Fellowship Director; Chief, Spine Service; Professor and Vice ChairmanOfficial profile & photo verified
Current position
Fellowship supervisor / program leadership
Affiliation
WVU School of Medicine, Department of Orthopaedics
Clinical focus
Spine training and clinical practice
Qualifications
Not published on the cited profile
John C. France is listed in the cited programme evidence as fellowship director; chief, spine service; professor and vice chairman for West Virginia University Spine Fellowship Program. The verified individual profile describes a focus in Spine training and clinical practice. This association does not by itself confirm personal supervision, operative privileges or availability for a future intake.
John C. France is listed by the official programme source as fellowship director; chief, spine service; professor and vice chairman. A separate individual short CV has not yet been verified by OrthoFellow.
Co-Director (NASS); Professor, OrthopaedicsOfficial profile & photo verified
Current position
Teaching faculty / co-leadership
Affiliation
WVU School of Medicine, Department of Orthopaedics
Clinical focus
Spine training and clinical practice
Qualifications
Not published on the cited profile
Scott Daffner is listed in the cited programme evidence as co-director (nass); professor, orthopaedics for West Virginia University Spine Fellowship Program. The verified individual profile describes a focus in Spine training and clinical practice. This association does not by itself confirm personal supervision, operative privileges or availability for a future intake.
Scott Daffner is listed by the official programme source as co-director (nass); professor, orthopaedics. A separate individual short CV has not yet been verified by OrthoFellow.
Assistant Professor, OrthopaedicsOfficial profile & photo verified
Current position
Teaching faculty / co-leadership
Affiliation
WVU School of Medicine, Department of Orthopaedics
Clinical focus
Spine training and clinical practice
Qualifications
Not published on the cited profile
Felicity Fisk is listed in the cited programme evidence as assistant professor, orthopaedics for West Virginia University Spine Fellowship Program. The verified individual profile describes a focus in Spine training and clinical practice. This association does not by itself confirm personal supervision, operative privileges or availability for a future intake.
Felicity Fisk is listed by the official programme source as assistant professor, orthopaedics. A separate individual short CV has not yet been verified by OrthoFellow.
Assistant Professor, OrthopaedicsOfficial profile & photo verified
Current position
Teaching faculty / co-leadership
Affiliation
WVU School of Medicine, Department of Orthopaedics
Clinical focus
Spine training and clinical practice
Qualifications
Not published on the cited profile
Jonathan Karnes is listed in the cited programme evidence as assistant professor, orthopaedics for West Virginia University Spine Fellowship Program. The verified individual profile describes a focus in Spine training and clinical practice. This association does not by itself confirm personal supervision, operative privileges or availability for a future intake.
Jonathan Karnes is listed by the official programme source as assistant professor, orthopaedics. A separate individual short CV has not yet been verified by OrthoFellow.
Names and fellowship roles come from the cited programme source. A green “individual profile verified” label means the position, qualifications and biography were also checked against an official personal or institutional profile. OrthoFellow displays a portrait only when it can be tied to an official profile or faculty source; otherwise the host institution brandmark is shown, with initials retained only when neither image is available. Faculty rosters may change.
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INTERNATIONAL APPLICANTS
Published international eligibility information
Due to accreditation requirements, the fellowship is not accepting applications from international medical graduates (IMGs).
This note is shown only when the official source publishes information relevant to overseas applicants. Applicants should confirm licensing and visa eligibility directly with the host.
